Fernando Torres has suggested that one of the reasons he has struggled at Chelsea is because their midfielders are too slow.

"When I changed club, I knew it was going to be a slow process, although I didn't expect it to be so long," Torres told the website of Spain's La Liga. "Chelsea is, between the English teams, maybe the least English. That's because of the kind of player Chelsea has – an older player, who plays very slow, who has a lot of possession, and that's what the club is trying to change now.

"It's normal that it takes some time; it's not easy to find midfielders because the best are already in the best teams and that's why I said that the arrival of [Juan ] Mata is going to give another pace to the team. Daniel Sturridge, who has been ruled out for some matches, is also an incredible player, maybe the one that surprised me the most since I came here.

"In the next matches, you will see another pace, and I hope the midfield will adapt to that pace. That is what you need in the Premier League. If not, then the teams don't work. When the team will start to get the ideas of the new coach, about paced and vertical football, it's going to be very good."

Earlier this week, the Chelsea manager, André Villas-Boas, warned the £50m striker he could be dropped should his lack of goals "compromise" the team.

Torres believes Mata, who joined from Valencia for around £24m last month, will make the difference between Chelsea challenging champions Manchester United and being also-rans. He said: "It's a great signing. I'm sure he's going to be a very important player for the club. "He has all the skills that will help Chelsea to grow and be again at the same level as United, I hope this year.

"He's that kind of player who gives another pace to the game, another way, another way of slipping his markers. That's something Chelsea lacks nowadays. They are trying to redesign the team and he's the kind of player we need, young, experienced, world champion. This kind of players are not going to be frightened of coming to a new competition and will refresh the team."

Of the criticism of his own form, which dipped after an injury-blighted 2010, Torres said: "I try to recover my best form, my best level, and forget about the injuries. The comments and criticisms, both good and bad, have never been a reason to act in one way or another.

"When you go to a restaurant, there is always someone who says: 'What's he doing here,' or: 'He's here again.' You'll always have comments about you. That's something you can't control."

Torres was bought in January to help Chelsea win the Champions League and, despite admitting Barcelona were currently peerless in Europe, the striker insisted owner Roman Abramovich's dream would "definitely" be fulfilled.

He added: "The team is ready to fight against whoever and it's an ambitious team, with an owner that has a dream and who will never stop till he gets it."